CER 26-0190

                                                                      ENROLLED ORIGINAL
                               A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
                                             26-190
                   IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
                                          July 14, 2026
To recognize the importance of kinship families in the District of Columbia and the many
       benefits kinship caregivers bestow on the children in their care as well as the many
       challenges they face when raising these children, and to declare the month of September
       2026 as “Kinship Care Month” in the District of Columbia.
        WHEREAS, the D.C. Council seeks to proclaim September 2026 as Kinship Care Month
in the District of Columbia;
       WHEREAS, Kinship Care Month is observed to recognize children in kinship families,
and the grandparents, other relatives, and family friends who raise them, ensuring their safety,
promoting their well-being, and establishing a safe and stable home for these young people;
       WHEREAS, in kinship families, a caregiver cares for a child or children who were
biologically born to another family member or close friend because the biological parents are
unable to raise them;
        WHEREAS, nationally, approximately 2.7 million children are living with grandparents
and other relatives or fictive kin in kinship care, and more than 18,000 of these young people
reside in the District of Columbia, with fewer than 120 of them living in kinship foster care;
       WHEREAS, one in 11 of all children, and one in five Black children, will live within a
kinship family sometime during their childhood;
          WHEREAS, kinship caregivers report tremendous satisfaction in caring for and raising
children, but face substantial challenges in accessing the resources they need to care for their
families;
         WHEREAS, many kinship caregivers live at or below the margins of financial stability
themselves even before they agree to take a child into their homes, while others may give up
their retirement years to assume parenting duties for these children;
                                                1
                                                                        ENROLLED ORIGINAL
       WHEREAS, many children come to live with kinship caregivers after allegations of
parental abuse or neglect;
       WHEREAS, children in kinship care frequently have mental health conditions from
trauma experienced in their homes and communities;
        WHEREAS, kinship caregivers offer a refuge, as well as love, nurturing and care, for
these children;
       WHEREAS, research shows that kinship care helps maintain family, sibling and
community ties, improves behavioral and mental health outcomes, and promotes permanency for
children who cannot live with their parents;
       WHEREAS, it is vitally important for the public to grow in awareness of the challenges
faced by children, grandparents, and other relatives in kinship families; so as to ensure there are
services and supports available and accessible to enable kinship youth to grow and thrive;
       WHEREAS, the D.C. Council expresses its wholehearted thanks and support for kinship
caregivers for stepping up in times of crisis to provide loving homes for D.C. children;
       WHEREAS, Kinship Care Month honors the priceless role these grandparents and other
kinship caregivers play in the lives of the children they love.
        RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this
resolution may be cited as the “Kinship Care Month Recognition Resolution of 2026”.
       Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes the contributions of kinship
families raising children in the District of Columbia, and declares the month of September 2026
as “Kinship Care Month”, as a confirmation of the District’s continued support of kinship
caregivers for stepping up in times of crisis to provide loving homes for children in the District.
       Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
                                                 2